What do we do now?

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In the 1972 movie The Candidate, newly (and
surprisingly) elected candidate Bill McKay â€“ played by Robert Redford â€“ asks,
perhaps rhetorically, at the end of the movie, â€œWhat do we do now?â€

That statement/question is possibly an apt analogy to
describe just what happened across this country on Election Day. What do we do now? As a radical progressive I view the
Democratic victories with a note of cautious optimism. As a writer who has frequently criticized the
laissez-faire policies of the Democrats, I believe it is a fair question to put
forth.

In reading the myriad of blogs and news opinions, which
cross my desk via this computer, Iâ€™m struck by the outlook held by many that,
okay, â€œitâ€™s time for payback.â€ Many
writers and so-called progressives feel that it is now time to jump in with all
four feet and begin to look at impeachment proceedings and other assorted
hearings relating to the Repugsâ€™ criminal and moral turpitude of the past many
years. It is extremely difficult to argue
against taking that approach, I wholeheartedly agree that Bush and Company
should be tried, convicted and sentenced to hang along with their (former)
underling Saddam Hussein.

The problem with that tactic though is the inherent danger
of becoming bogged down in an endless series of hearings, along with the
attendant rhetoric, which would only serve to inflame the public even more
against politics and politicians. Bush
and Company had no desire to see Saddam brought to justice before an
international tribunal, for the reason that within that type venue the crimes
of aiding and abetting against past administrations would have been brought to
light.

So too, the Democrats will bear all of that in mind before
rushing in to any hearings regarding impeachment, etc. For, indeed, any public hearings regarding
the crimes committed by the Republicans, vis-Ã -vis lies, crimes against
humanity, war profiteering etcetera, would also ensnare many, many Democrats. After all, George Bush could not have
accomplished and sustained his criminality without the shameless aiding and
abetting of the Democrats in Congress.
No matter how much of a hue and cry may be raised across the land for
impeachment, the Democrats are not going to pursue that route because it will only
shine a brighter spotlight on their own self-serving behavior.

Lest anyone begin taking pot shots at me for being a closet
Republican, or suggesting that Iâ€™m espousing a type of political forgiveness
let me reiterate, I do believe that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gonzales, Rice et
al, should be strung up from the nearest lamp post. They are criminals, they are profiteers of
the worst magnitude and they should be afforded the same level of justice and
compassion which they have shown to over one-half million dead Iraqis. If one is a believer (and I am) in the old
â€œwhat goes around comes around,â€ Bush and his co-conspirators will come to no
good end.

The people across this country who voted for a change (I
believe) did so because they are desirous of wanting a change for the
better. I believe that those people are
tired of seeing young men and women dying for profiteers and criminals and they
will hold the Democratâ€™s feet to the fire until they see an end to death and
destruction. Folks are no longer buying
into the bullshit of the scare tactics of gay marriage, abortion and God, as
the ultimate Republican trendsetter for all that is right.

People are hurting, economically and socially. This country is damn near broke and the
divorced from reality politicians are responsible for that malaise which has
most of us in a deep state of depression.
During this past election cycle the Comptroller General of the United
States, David Walker was touring around the
country sounding the alarm over the upcoming fiscal crisis we find ourselves
in. Mr. Walker carried his crusade to
many different venues and his campaign was notable for the amount of
disinterest generated. His alarm sounding
was also â€“ for the most part â€“ ignored by the so-called mainstream media.

But Walker has a
distressing message â€“ he, as well as most budget experts â€“ predict that this
country will soon face a fiscal crisis not seen since 1983 when Social Security
bordered on bankruptcy. The national
debt (propped up by China, India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia) is expected to
grow more than $3 trillion through 2010 to over $11 trillion, that equates to
$38,000 for every man, woman and child in this country. The projected interest on this debt alone would
be $561 billion. That is a crisis of
gigantic proportions and our supposed Democratic saviors have blissfully
ignored this during their tenure in the aptly named â€œdo-nothing Congress.â€

This past Congress was notable for a few things, but none
more evident than the fact that they met fewer days than any Congress since
1948. This dubious fact has earned them
the outrageous sobriquet: â€œthe Tuesday to Thursday Club.â€ Its members get in (DC) on Tuesday night,
cast a few innocuous votes on Wednesday and then itâ€™s back home on
Thursday. Will our new Democratic
majority be any different this time around?
Donâ€™t hold your breath waiting.

The average Joe and Jane American are suffering out here,
this election campaign saw many promises, now the Democrats are in a majority;
will promises made be promises kept?
Remember, Bush could not have instituted his Draconian policies without
the votes of the Democrats. I mentioned
hurting economically so I throw out this little factoid, the
unconscionable â€“ creditor friendly â€“
bankruptcy bill (written by the credit card companies) passed into law with the
votes of 18 Democrats. Never mind that
over half of all bankruptcies are the result of soaring medical bills.

The Congress with its complicit Democrats also voted to cut
$13 billion in college-student aid. The
Democrats also cast deciding votes on so-called free-trade agreements that have
allowed Corporate Amerika to offshore jobs to the cheapest sources of
labor. Are these the folks who are going
to save us? I cannot help but wonder,
just what the hell it is they are going to save us from? Remember, the same corporate monies go into
all the pockets in Washington, Democrat and Republican.

Here are a few facts about just what this Congress has
accomplished since January 2001.

They amassed the largest budget deficit in history, and
squandered damn near a trillion dollars; 3,000 American (and over one-half
million Iraqi and Afghani) lives ended on losing wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan;
not to mention the thousands wounded and maimed for life.

They tried to rename French Fries and pass amendments
banning flag burning and gay marriage, they also ranted, raved and otherwise
fulminated on just how they could â€œprotectâ€ Terry Schiavo.

They restructured FEMA and the intelligence agencies into
the many-headed bureaucratic Department of Homeland Security. They censured baseball players for using
steroids. They discussed placing ratings
on video games; and by golly, they voted themselves a pay hike.

It remains to be seen what will happen in (and with) the
future Congress as Bush now goes into â€œlame duckâ€ mode. Should Bush be impeached? Yes, indeed!
Should the USA Patriot Act be rescinded?
Yes, indeed! Should the torture
bill with all of its attendant chicanery be repealed? Yes, indeed!
Should George W. Bush swing alongside Saddam Hussein? Yes indeed!
Will the newly elected majority in Congress see that progress is made in
these things as well as the many ills besetting this country? The jury remains out on that.